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THE TROY FREE PRESS AND SILEX INDEXThe Fontinelle Stock Company(This is the second article in a series on “The Liberty Opera House, Its Builders and Its Entertainment’’.)By Edward L. Schieffer The grand opening of “the beautiful new Liberty Theatre” was on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1920. First a Harold Lloyd silent movie was enjoyed followed by a dance with Henne's Orchestra from St. Charles. A movie was to be shown every Sunday thereafter. Dances were held annually on Christmas and New Years from 1921 to 1945. Other dances were held nearly every Friday and Saturday nights. Occasionally, other dances like for weddings were held there. BothConnagh-ton’s and Whalen’s daughters’ wedding dances were in the Liberty Opera House. Large bands like the radiobroadcasted “Oklahoma Cowboys” played on several occasions. People would travel quite some distances to dances inOldMonroe. At that time, trains ran regular passenger services to other small towns in Lincoln and St. Charles Counties, and as many as eight taxies from St. Charles could be seen out front of the building on a good dance night.Besides dances and movies, the Liberty Opera House could boast of having live dram'a. According to The Troy Freeme r umniene stock Company first appeared in Old Monroe on Thursday, September 8, 1921. They played Friday and Saturday also. The advertisement states “New Play and Vaudeville, All Special Scenery. Orchestra.” The next year they returned Thursday, May 18, and stayed through Sunday. In the four night stand, they promised an entire change of program each night. They held a “Grand Ball” by their four-piece orchestra on Wednesday, May 17. In 1923, the Fontinelle Stock Company returned on April 5, 6, 7, and 8,promising “Everything new but the name.” No record could be found for any 1924 engagementin Old Monroe.However, The Fontinelles returned on April 23, 24, 25, and26, 1925 advertising seven people in their troupe. Changingfrom a spring to a winter one, they traveled to the Liberty Opera House on December 18, 17, 18, and 19, 1926. For the first time in print, they stress “Clean, Moral, and Refined.” No record of a performance was found for the company in Old Monroe for 1927. Returning October 25, 26, 27, and 28,1928, the stock company promised, “Friday Evening, October 26, there will be a big dance after the show, music furnished by The Fontinelle Stock Company’s Peppy Orchestra.”Another blank year appears in1929. Although, at the beginning of the Depression, the acting family returned December 4,5, 6, and 7, 1930. They stressed, “Every play properly• staged and costumed with an abundance of scenic and lighting effects. Nearly a year later the group returned on December 3, 4, 5,and 6, 1931.Finally in 1932, The Fontinelle Stock Company appeared for the last known time at The Liberty Opera House on April 28, 29, 30, and May 1. Please note that this was not the last performance everywhere for the Fontinelle family, it was only their last time in Old Monroe. Totalling the above touring performances given by the acting^ troiroe., onp accumulates nineyears of engagements with 35#•nightly shows.What amazes this writer the most is that a professional acting company would return so frequently to a community over that period of time and never raise their admission prices. In The Liberty Opera House records and in advertisements, the prices listed were 35 cents for adults and 15 cents for children. However, they did have other gimmicks to make money. The Fontinelles sold candy, popcorn, and peanuts in whichwere “votes.” At the end of the company’s tour, thevoteswould be counted and the girl who received the most votes won a genuine diamond (chip) ring. According to Robert E. Fontinelle, the youngest member of the family, his father boughtreal diamond chip rings in thegross that cost approximately $10.00. He also related that most people wojild not eat the candy and merely throw it on the floor. After the audience left, the candy was picked up and new wrappers with votes placed on them. Many people 1 talked to in the process of researching this article remembers the candy and a feweven ate it.(Next week more about The Fontinelle Stock Company in Old Monroe.)Dove SeasonLooks GoodMissouri dove hunters are looking forward to a promising opener September 1.“All the factors are good,” says Ken Sadler, dove biologist for the Department of Conservation. “There are a lot of birds and the weather is the way doves like it—warm. Further, dry weather has induced some farmers to cut corn for silage and there’s nothing a dovelikesbet-ter than a silage cut.”The daily limit is 10, with possession limit of 20. Young doves tend to migrate south rapidly when nights dip into the 50s, especially if there also iscold rain.- . *C-OOC/VXPber 1, include tlftsd on s or a andVirginia rails and gallinules. Rail limits are 25 daily and in “possession, while the daily bag on gallinules is 15, with 30 in possession.CancerResearch IsImportantBy Faye Zoeller“Research is still one of our single most important efforts,” reported Noel Rex Lewis, M.D., Strafford, President of the Missouri Division of the Am erican Cancer Society. Lewis made this remark as part of a state ment announcing five new grantsWF’V
Newspaper Details
Troy free Press And Silex Index
Troy, Missouri, US
Fri, Aug 27, 1976
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Carol R.
USA 01 Jan 2019
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